Mysore's city bus stand relocation runs into trouble

MYSORE: The plans to decongest the city centre by relocating the City Bus Stand (CBS) either to J K Grounds or Old RMC Market has been met with opposition.

The APMC president H S Nagaraj has indicated that they will not part with the land easily. Taking exception to the district minister S A Ramdas, who has said that he plans to shift the CBS to Old RMC market yard, Nagaraj said: He has not discussed with us about any of it. He should reconsider his plans.

This comes amidst the plea by the Mysore Medical College and Research Institute to Ramdas, who is medical education minister, to spare the J K Grounds, which is the sport ground attached to the premier medical college. Earlier when the proposal was discussed, the medical students had protested. There are also opposition to the shifting of the CBS from the social activists, who have said the facility was reconstructed three years. It was sponsored by the Centre under JNNURM.

The APMC chief's opposition is the latest in the series of objections encountering the shifting of the CBS from the city centre-it abuts Krishnaraja Circle and Mysore Palace.

While the MCC had tried to stop the building of the new bus stand at the site, the KSRTC went ahead given that it had the No Objection certificate from the MCC, a prerequisite for the approval of the project by the empowered panel at the Centre. The KSRTC built the new facility investing Rs 11 crore adding additional bus bays and amenities for the public including underpass connecting different platforms.

Now, the central business district, especially the area surrounding the Palace is sought to be decongested by relocating the CBS as the commercial district is getting crowded. It will increase given a hypermarket is coming up in front of the CBS and the MCC is building muti-storied parking lot next to it.

The minister has plans to relocate the CBS to the J K grounds and if it doesn't workout, the RMC market yard was preferred since both are located next to the railway station. The market yard is spread over 6 acres. The vegetable market is vacant as it was shifted to the APMC yard in Bandipalya. But Nagaraj told TOI: The RMC yard is not a suitable place for bus stand. Besides we have plans to shift fruit market to the yard, which will help us generate revenue. Some 100 fruit merchants have come forward to shift their shops to the yard.